Display apparatus

Abstract

A display apparatus includes: a light source module configured to irradiate light; a first substrate disposed in front of the light source module and configured to transmit the light; a second substrate facing the first substrate and configured to transmit the light irradiated by the light source module; and a switching layer between the first substrate and the second substrate and including: a first surface having a first electrode; a second surface having a second electrode facing the first surface; and a switching cell, arranged between the first surface and the second surface and including movable charged particles having of a light-blocking material, configured to transmit or block the light based on an electric potential difference applied to the first electrode and the second electrode. The switching cell has a shape with a decreasing width in an extending direction of the first surface from the second surface toward the first surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A display apparatus comprising:
 a light source module configured to irradiate light;   a first substrate disposed in front of the light source module in a forward direction and configured to transmit the light irradiated by the light source module;   a second substrate facing the first substrate, disposed between the first substrate and the light source module, and configured to transmit the light irradiated by the light source module; and   a switching layer between the first substrate and the second substrate and comprising:
 a first surface having a first electrode arranged thereon; 
 a second surface having a second electrode arranged thereon and facing the first surface; and 
 a switching cell, arranged between the first surface and the second surface and comprising movable charged particles having of a light-blocking material, configured to transmit or block the light based on an electric potential difference applied to the first electrode and the second electrode, 
   wherein the switching cell has a shape with a decreasing width in an extending direction of the first surface from the second surface toward the first surface.   
     
     
         2 . The display apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the switching cell comprises an inclined surface between the first electrode and the second electrode with respect to a direction perpendicular to each of the first surface and the second surface, and
 wherein the inclined surface is on an inner surface of the switching cell.   
     
     
         3 . The display apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein a distance between a first end of the inclined surface adjacent to the first surface and the first electrode in the extending direction of the first surface is less than a distance between a second end of the inclined surface adjacent to the second surface and the first electrode in the extending direction of the first surface. 
     
     
         4 . The display apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the inclined surface comprises a plurality of inclined surfaces facing each other, and
 wherein the plurality of inclined surfaces extend to be closer to each other toward the first electrode.   
     
     
         5 . The display apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the inclined surface extends from the second surface to the first surface. 
     
     
         6 . The display apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the switching cell extends in a direction parallel to the extending direction of the first surface and the second surface, and
 wherein the inclined surface extends in the direction parallel to the extending direction of the first surface and the second surface.   
     
     
         7 . The display apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a first end of the switching cell on the first surface has a width corresponding to a width of the first electrode, and
 wherein a second end of the switching cell on the second surface has a width corresponding to a width of the second electrode.   
     
     
         8 . The display apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the width of the first end of the switching cell is less than the width of the second end of the switching cell. 
     
     
         9 . The display apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first surface is on one side of the switching layer facing the first substrate,
 wherein the first electrode is connected to the first substrate,   wherein the second surface is on another side of the switching layer facing the second substrate, and   wherein the second electrode is connected to the second substrate.   
     
     
         10 . The display apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more processors,
 wherein a power supply is connected to the first electrode and the second electrode and configured to apply an electric field between the first electrode and the second electrode, and   wherein the one or more processors are configured to control the power supply to apply the electric field between the first electrode and the second electrode for applying electric force to charged particles in the switching cell to be directed to the first electrode, based on an electric signal for the switching cell to perform a transmitting mode for transmitting the light.   
     
     
         11 . The display apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to control the power supply not to apply the electric field between the first electrode and the second electrode, based on an electric signal for the switching cell to perform a blocking mode for blocking the light. 
     
     
         12 . The display apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 control the power supply to perform the transmitting mode based on a first content signal for displaying a first type of content image, the first content signal being based on a first user input; and   control the power supply to perform the blocking mode based on a second content signal for displaying a second type of content image, the second content signal being based on a second user input different than the first user input, and the second type of content image being different from the first type of content image.   
     
     
         13 . The display apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the switching cell comprises a plurality of switching cells spaced apart from each other,
 wherein the switching layer further comprises a transmission portion between the plurality of switching cells and configured to transmit the light, and   wherein a boundary between the transmission portion and each of the plurality of switching cells extends obliquely in a direction perpendicular to each of the first surface and the second surface.   
     
     
         14 . The display apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of switching cells comprises a dispersion medium in each of the plurality of switching cells and configured to transmit the light, and
 wherein the transmission portion is a material having a refraction index corresponding to a refraction index of the dispersion medium.   
     
     
         15 . The display apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of switching cells are arranged at equal intervals.